Yoder Heritage Day packs in live music, homemade pie and a huge parade

29 Tuesday, August 29

Yoder Heritage Day packs in live music, homemade pie and a huge parade

info2023-08-29T09:17:03-05:00August 29th, 2023|

The sounds of children cheering, tractors puttering, and candy crunching under wheels in Yoder heralded the beginning of 2023 Yoder Heritage Day as the parade made its way through town Saturday. For many attendees, Yoder Heritage Day starts with the midmorning parade, although the festivities officially began at 6 a.m. with the all-you-can-eat pancake and sausage breakfast. ... The annual parade is quite the draw, with up to 10,000 people expected to watch. A count hasn’t been publicized yet, but that’s a believable estimate since the street was packed several layers deep as far as the eye could see — kids [...]

29 Tuesday, August 29

Educators start with raises: All Shawnee County teachers will get at least $1,350 salary increases

info2023-08-29T09:14:51-05:00August 29th, 2023|

Shawnee County school districts are wrapping up their budgets, and that includes finalizing contract negotiations with their teachers' unions. Teachers in Shawnee County public schools are set to see raises of at least $1,000 this year, in addition to any other additional pay increases for continued education and years of experience. The Capital-Journal previously reported on Topeka USD 501's and Seaman USD 345's negotiated agreements, finalized or agreed to in principle earlier this month. Source: CJonline

29 Tuesday, August 29

WSU study projects metropolitan shift

info2023-08-29T09:07:04-05:00August 29th, 2023|

Harvey County is expected to shrink in population, rural areas will continue to decline, and in 50 years, more than three-quarters of the state’s population will live in metropolitan areas. Those are the findings of a study by the Center for Economic Development and Business Research based out of Wichita State University. It projects an average growth rate of 0.3 percent per year, a decline from the 5.4 percent annual growth experienced between 1960 and 2010. “Kansas is expected to be pulling out of the period of population slowing that we’ve seen over the past few years,” Jonathan Norris, research economist [...]

29 Tuesday, August 29

Johnson County schools start year with hundreds of vacancies. The worst hit: Special ed

info2023-08-29T09:06:12-05:00August 29th, 2023|

Johnson County is starting the school year with hundreds of positions unfilled, as districts in the region manage a record number of vacancies, especially in special education. Labor shortages continue to plague school districts in Kansas and Missouri this year, as educators leave their jobs at higher rates and fewer applicants seek to replace them. Last month, Shane Carter, director of teacher licensure with the Kansas education department, said schools in the state reported 1,634 teacher vacancies this spring. That’s up from 1,381 the spring before, when officials warned it was the state’s worst-ever shortage. The highest number continues to be [...]

29 Tuesday, August 29

Child care can cost more than a mortgage in Kansas, but providers can barely afford to stay open

info2023-08-29T09:05:16-05:00August 29th, 2023|

Ann Elliott runs one of the largest child care centers in all of Kansas. The Family Resource Center, or The Center, in Pittsburg, Kansas, is licensed to care for over 350 kids At $145 a week for toddlers, $135 a week for 30 month to 5 year olds, and $185 a month for preschool — parents might assume Elliott and her staff are rolling in money. They aren’t. They lose money on child care and grants help offset the loss. “It doesn't pay for an employee to make a living wage,” Elliott said. “We've been around 25 years. So somehow we're [...]

29 Tuesday, August 29

Lawrence school district partners with county to prevent truancy

info2023-08-29T09:04:30-05:00August 29th, 2023|

The Lawrence school district is partnering with county agencies to hopefully prevent students from being introduced to the criminal legal system for missing too much school. The district is partnering with Douglas County District Attorney Suzanne Valdez’s office, Douglas County Youth Services and the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) to address truancy. Students are considered truant if they are absent without excuse for a “significant portion” of the school day for three days in a row, for five days in a semester, or for seven days in a school year. At the high school level, a “significant portion” of [...]

29 Tuesday, August 29

Municipal Bond Trends for August 28, 2023

Henry Schmidt2023-08-29T08:00:23-05:00August 29th, 2023|

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS "investment grade" yields. Every issuer's credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.

28 Monday, August 28

Governor Kelly Establishes Advisory Panel for Regional Psychiatric Hospital in South Central Kansas

info2023-08-29T08:52:49-05:00August 28th, 2023|

Governor Laura Kelly announced today that, to improve state mental health care, she has signed Executive Order 23-05 establishing the South Central Regional Psychiatric Hospital Advisory Panel. The 14-member panel is tasked with gathering public input and making recommendations on the operation, location, and workforce development needs of the proposed 50-bed psychiatric hospital in south central Kansas. The panel will examine how a state hospital would fit into existing or planned services in the region and identify existing resources, gaps in services, and opportunities to improve access to mental health services. Source: Governor of the State of Kansas

28 Monday, August 28

Kansas mental health experts discuss gaps in services for farmers and ranchers at inaugural summit

info2023-08-28T22:14:13-05:00August 28th, 2023|

Kansas mental health care workers acknowledge a gap in mental health services and data for farmers and ranchers in the western portion of the state. Officials with the Kansas chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness held an inaugural summit Aug. 22 in Dodge City, called “Standing in the Gap,” to highlight the difficulties of accessing mental health care services in rural Kansas and offer potential solutions to frontier mental health issues. NAMI Kansas executive director Sherrie Vaughn said her Topeka-based organization is concerned about the lack of mental health care in some rural areas. Source: Kansas Reflector

28 Monday, August 28

Macksville City Library has a summer for the books

info2023-08-29T08:53:11-05:00August 28th, 2023|

With school back in session, the 2023 Summer Reading Program at the Macksville City Library has come to a close. Library Director Jody Suiter shared a recap: We embraced the All Together Now theme with puzzles, games, books, special speakers, and TEAM-work reminding participants that “Together Everyone Achieves More.” It was a dream come true to host Summer Reading in our new library addition! For the first time, ever, we were able to spread out, beyond the walls of our former one-room library. And, while we are still raising funds for shelves and furnishings, the kids didn’t ever complain. Source: Great [...]